In Which Bela's Cover is Blown

[enjoythe_ride]

[Cowritten with feel_theburn. Set after THIS.]

It was supposed to be a quick in and out job. She knew that going back to Miami this soon was asking for trouble, but this was a job that was too good to pass up, and it was for an old friend. All she had to was make it in, out and move on, and she would be out of Miami before anyone who could have possibly recognized her would even know she was there. Or before the memories could sink in, but that in and of itself was something else entirely.

She popped the security system easily, and then picked the lock to get in the door. From her intial recon, the item she was looking for was in the back safe, and she knew the route there as easily in the dark as she did during the day. She closed the door quietly behind her, before making her way into the room and easing through towards where the safe was located, hoping that she wasn't seen.

Mike was parked down the block in his car, resting his eyes. He wasn't asleep. Not at all. But it was okay. Michael had very good hearing and never slept heavily on a job. He also had a cell phone bug on the shop, so he'd hear if anything was going on in there. The client was worried about something, but was having trouble communicating just what. Michael's best guess was that the not-so-innocent old man had something important inside and didn't trust his friends to not go after it. It just would have really helped the job if Mike knew what.

So his eyes rested peacefully. Until he heard movement. Anyone else might not have noticed, but he did. It was a near whisper of movement that hadn't been there before. Mike jumped from the car and quietly jogged down the sidewalk, then peered through the window. He saw a shadow. Someone was in there alright. He walked around to the back alley and silently let himself in the back door. He heard soft sounds coming from the back office, so he pulled his gun and slowly made his way towards it.

Bela froze momentarily, hearing a slight creak rattle through the old shop, and moved a hand slowly so that she could reach for the gun sitting on her waist. She didn't pull it out, not yet, but she wanted it somewhere where she could reach it easily if need be. She stayed still a moment longer, listening for another sound to indicate someone was there, before turning back to the safe and going back to work.

Mike slowly moved around the corner, edging into the room, and clicking his gun into place. He hadn't gotten in far enough to see the intruder, but he knew there was one and that was enough for him. His face was set seriously as he moved into the room, gun at the ready.

Bela finished what she was doing, grabbing the necklace in question and sliding it into her pocket before closing the safe behind her. She could feel someone's eyes on her, and on instinct she reached in, pulling out her gun and slowly pulling back the safety before turning around and pointing it in the direction of the other person, looking to see if she could actually spot someone, before giving herself away.

His feet planted to the floor of the room as soon as she got up and turned to face him. He didn't budge, even though it felt like everything inside of him fell to the floor. He stared at her. Confused, okay there were a few dozen emotions flying through him, but they were in too much of a blur to make any sense. "Bela?" His voice was barely a whisper.

Of all the jobs in Miami, this had to be the one he got as well. She was silent for a moment, swallowing slowly, trying to regain her composure as best she could. "Michael." This was -- awkward. She had no idea how she was to explain this, but she had to find a way somehow. Until then, silence was to be her friend.

He shook his head. This wasn't happening. Not after all these months. Not when he'd forced himself to forget. "You're dead." His hands gripped the gun tighter as he stepped forward. It was a game of some sort. It wasn't Bela. Couldn't be.

"No," she said slowly. "It was a lie. I managed to -- upset some very dangerous people, and -- well, it wasn't my idea, but I didn't want you to be put at risk. A friend decided it would be easier for all involved if the story that I was dead was maintained." She paused for a minute. "This isn't exactly how I would have wanted -- "

"What are you after?" Yes, this was a pissed off Michael Westen. "Guess you've been playing me this whole time, hmm? Give me one reason to why I shouldn't shoot you right now and turn you in."

Her face softened, and her eyes dropped to the ground. "I don't have one." And that was the God's honest truth. "But I never played you, Michael. Honestly. This -- this wasn't supposed to happen." She was supposed to be dead, not living on borrowed time thanks to a Hail Mary pass by Bobby Singer.

"I don't like being lied to," he said, his jaw still tight. "Why are you here?" And no, he wasn't letting the gun ease at all.

"Same reason why you are, I suppose," she said with a shrug. "A job for a client." She wasn't going to address the part about him being lied to, because she pretty much admitted it. She should have never taken this damn job. And she wasn't going to acknowledge how being on the other end of his gun was breaking her heart.

He shook his head. "There are clients all over the place. Probably wherever the hell you've been hiding. Why are you here?"

"Because it was a good offer. I was supposed to be in and out in five minutes, before you showed up."

"Hand it over."

"Why? Because I offended your delicate sensibilities?" she arched an eyebrow at him. "You know me better than that, Michael. A job is still a job."

"Exactly. And it's my job to make sure whatever the hell you have stays with my client. So disarm your gun and hand the prize over. Now." He tilted the gun slightly to a non-deadly area of her body.

"No," she said thinly, straightening slightly as she did. Fine. If he wanted to play it this way, she would. "Don't make me shoot you, Michael. Because you know I will."

"So will I." He turned the gun to fire into the wall just inches from her, then aimed it back in her direction. There might have been more to this all than the job, but he wasn't going to admit it.

She met his eyes coolly, before cocking back the safety on the gun. Michael was a lot of things, but he was also a bit like Dean. And neither he nor Dean were the type to shoot. "No, you won't. You're not the type."

"You don't know me," he shook his head. Sure he wouldn't shoot to kill, but he would shoot. He was pissed. He felt betrayed. He thought maybe a bit of physical pain would be good for her after the pain he'd been through thinking she was dead.

"I know you better than you think," she replied slowly. "You're angry at me, yes. You want to hurt me. But you won't shoot."

"And you'd really shoot me?" he asked softly.

"If I have to, I will," she said slowly, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "But I don't want to have to."

"Then shoot me," he said thickly. "Shoot me. Take off. Stay the hell out of Miami."

"Michael," she said softly. Because she didn't want to shoot him. She just wanted to do her job and get out. In fact, even more than that, she wanted to just run to him and collapse against him. It's all she wanted since she realized she wasn't dying, but she wasn't about to swallow her pride and do that, either. Besides, it wouldn't do her much good.

"I tried to help you. Maybe you didn't let me, but I tried. I deserved more than that phone call." He really didn't know what he was thinking, what he was doing. He had thought about the what ifs over the months. What if she hadn't died, what if he had the chance to hold her again. The pain of losing her had been something he hadn't been ready for, and he didn't want to do it again.

"There was nothing you could have done. I wasn't even expecting the help that I did get," Bela said slowly. "I was supposed to die that night, but I didn't. I didn't want you to get hurt -- it was the right thing to do at the time, but I didn't want to do it. I honestly didn't." And he was right. He did deserve more than a phone call, but Bobby wasn't exactly one to make house calls on her behalf.

His gun slowly fell to his side. Shootings didn't exactly keep him low profile, they just ended up being more of a pain then they were worth. "Go," he said quietly.

She lowered her gun as well, making her way over to him, her hand brushing his softly as she went. "I'm sorry, Michael. I really am."

His eyes closed at her touch and his hand reached out to her stomach, stopping her.

She turned slightly, and looked up at him, confused. She was thinking for a moment that he reconsidered, but she couldn't be sure.

He didn't know what he was doing, either, but he wasn't exactly thinking. His fingers slid around her waist more and he pulled her closer, slowly breathing her in. "Bela.." He dropped his head closer to hers.

She turned closer to him, letting him guide her to him, and moving a hand up to back of his neck. "I'm so sorry -- "

He shook his head slowly. He didn't want to go around in circles anymore. He didn't want to think about it all any more. He leaned in and softly set his lips to hers, pulling her body closer.

She practically melted into the kiss, leaning in closer to him, sliding her arm around his neck. This was what she wanted. She wanted this for weeks, and for once she didn't care if she was being too eager. She was tired of holding back, and she certainly wasn't going to do it with him.

The moment she met the kiss in return, he slid his gun over to the nearby shelf and moved both arms around her, lifting her up against himself. It was something he never thought he'd have again, and he had needed it so badly. He deepened the kiss, needingly so.

She moaned softly in the back of her throat, pulling herself closer to him and moving her free hand to his chest, sliding it up to his shoulder.

He slammed her, carefully, against the wall. His hand slid down her side, wanting to remember the feel of her curves. He pressed himself against her to keep her lifted between himself and the wall.

She pulled him closer, arching her body against his in order to feel her body pressed against his tightly. She continued the kiss, moaning softly when his hands found the right places on her sides.

A soft groan escaped his lips as he tore his mouth from hers and moved hard kisses along her neck and chest. He slid a hand up between them to pull at the buttons on her shirt as his lips explored down further.

Not that she wasn't enjoying this, but they couldn't do this here. She didn't want to hold back, but she wasn't exactly ready for this either. "Michael," she gasped, starting to push back against him lightly. "Not here."

"Car's around the block," he murmured with a slight smirk. His tongue dipped against her collarbone, needing a taste.

"Michael," she said softly, her eyes flickering closed at the feeling of his tongue on her skin, before pulling him up to look at her. She wanted this, but she really wanted to feel like this was real. "I don't want to be some quickie in the back seat of your car." Because if that's what she was going to be, then she didn't want this at all.

He met her eyes, his breath hard. He wanted her so badly in that moment he felt like he might burst. His blood was pulsating so fast and hard that he wasn't too sure he wouldn't burst. His head shook slowly. "Then come home with me."

She looked at him for a moment, studying his face to see if he was serious, before nodding, sliding her arms around his neck and pulling him close again.

He kissed her gently, then lowered her and picked up his gun. He made sure she had her things, then took her hand and started to pull her to the door.

She followed his lead, letting him lead the way back to his place.

Once he got them through the front door, he locked it and bolted it. He didn't want Sam or Fiona showing up for a very long time. Not that it would keep either of them out, but it was something. He stepped closer to her and slid his hands under her jacket, slowly pushing it off of her arms. He kept his eyes locked on her.

She let him divest her of the jacket, before she started to lean into him again, pushing herself up on her toes slightly to kiss him again. She wanted this so badly, but she didn't want to push it to fast. She wanted it to last, and she was going to do the best she could to make it happen.

He wanted that, too, but the slow was hard for him. He went with it though. He wanted to enjoy her. His hand slipped to her cheek as he kissed her warmly and slid his free hand to the small of her back. His fingers moved under her shirt to rest on her warm skin. That in itself did so much to him. To feel her warm skin to his touch.

She arched up against him, moving her hands to his waist and leaning in to him, and letting him take the lead. She didn't surrender control easily, but she felt safe enough to do it with him.

He lifted her again. Something in that small act was more to him. Taking her, holding her. He started slowly for his futon bed and continued the kiss.

She slid her legs around his waist as she went, pulling him in closer and placing her body flush against his.

He carefully leaned her over to the mattress, laying her on her back and moving over her. He brushed her hair from her face as he pulled from the kiss and looked down at her. Then he started for her shirt again, once more leaning in to kiss her chest.

She closed her eyes, her head dropping back against the mattress and fingers sliding to grip his shoulders tightly.

He pushed her shirt from her body and continued kissing her skin slowly. His hand slid down her leg and pulled her shoes from her feet as his lips hovered at her stomach.

She helped him kick the shoes off, her hips lifting against his hands, encouraging him to continue.

He stopped for a moment to lean up and unbutton his shirt, then toss it aside. He pulled his undershirt over his head and leaned back down. His hands moved down her sides as he returned his mouth to hers.

She kissed him back eagerly, letting her hands slide over his back, pushing him in closer as she did.

His hands stopped at her hips and gently brushed around to her front as he slowly undid her pants, starting to push them down.

She lifted her hips softly, and helped him push them down, before moving her fingers to the fly of his pants and starting to push them off.

His breath caught between his teeth at the feel of her hands and his arms rested to the bed above her shoulders. He tilted his head and kissed the side of her face slowly.

She closed her eyes and leaned back pulling him in closer to her again and letting her hands slide over his skin.

He dropped closer and pulled her leg closer to his hip. His mouth fell to her ear and he whispered softly, "Don't leave me again."

"I won't," she said softly, pushing her body against his.

He pushed back against her. "Promise me," the whisper coming a little harsher this time.

"I promise," she murmured.

****

When he held her in his arms afterwards, he couldn't sleep. He wanted to. He was tired. But he didn't want to sleep and risk himself just having another dream.

She curled up closer to him, draping an arm over his waist and burrowing her head against his shoulder.

He leaned into her and rubbed her back slowly, unsure what to say and not really wanting to say anything at all. The confusion of it all, of whatever they had to deal with, could wait. This was their moment.

"I missed you," she murmured.

His free hand moved to her chin and he set a soft kiss to her lips. "I missed you, too."

She leaned into the kiss, before pulling back softly. "It wasn't my idea -- pretending I was dead. But -- it was the best one to go with at the time. I wasn't even supposed to come back here."

His thumb moved down her chin to brush against her neck and he sighed. "I'm sorry I got so angry."

"You don't have to be sorry," she sighed. "I don't blame you, honestly."

"Did you really think you'd get in and out of Miami without seeing me?"

"I'd -- " she closed her eyes, moving in closer to him again. " -- for my cover's sake I hoped I wouldn't."

He moved closer as well and closed his eyes against her. "And for your sake?"

She closed her eyes and slid her arms around him, staying quiet. She wasn't so fantastic with the feelings things, so she hoped that this was enough.

That was something he could understand, so he just held her close and rubbed her back, waiting for her to fall asleep in his arms.

It took her a minute, before she dropped off slowly, curling up closer, feeling the safest she had in a long time.